Faucet



Patented Feb. V7, 1939 FAUCET Y Frederick C. Picut, Newark, N.- J., assignor to Economy Faucet Co., Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 26, 1937, Serial No. 176,704

` The invention relates to faucets of the type generally used-for dispensing beverages, for instance beer, and has for its object to provide a device of this character wherein a lever controlled arm is moved upwardly through the discharge port of the valve seat into engagement with a valve cooperating with the seat, means carried by the casing cap for yieldablyrsupporting the valve, and in connection with the cap,

forming a unit of cap and valve which may be placed within the casing or removedtherefrom `as a unit.

A further object is to provide a guide shaft on the cap and extending into the valve and `guidable therein, and an expansion spring interposed between the cap and valve and anchored to the cap and valve for forming a unit structure which may be assembled as a whole within the valve casing. Y

A further object is to proportion the shaft, `carried by the cap, so it will have a loose engagement within the valve aperture, thereby allowing the valve to adjust itself to the seating condition of the valve seat.

A further object is to anchor the end convolutions of the spring to the valve cap and valve, andto proportion the valve lifting arm whereby, when it isin open position, it will have a limited engagement with the valve, and will hold the valve raised andform a pivotal point therefor when the unit structure is being assembled and the cap screwed into the casing, thereby prevent- `ing torsional twisting of the spring` incident to the valve being seated and held by the seatV 35` against rotation.

A further object is to provide a spherical valve having an upwardly extending sleeve in an annular groove of which the lower end Aof the spring is disposed and held.

40 A further object is to provide a flow regulator in connection with the valve on the intake side thereof, and by manipulation of which the amount of flow to the valve may be limited. Also to shape said ow regulator whereby a tapered annular passage is formed by a tapered valve cooperating with a tapered bore, and to curve the upper end of the valve inwardly so the curved surface will merge into the valve stem, thereby allowing the gaseous material, for instance beer, to expand above the valve with the minimum amount of turbulence. before it is discharged to the faucet.

A further object is to form the regulator valve relatively long and of minimum diameter, there- `55,- by limiting as far as possible the spread of the had thereto.

`the sph-erica] valve 6 cooperates.

3 Claims, (Cl. 251-134) annular column passing around the same, so

there will be the minimum amount of turbulence when the annular column is dischargedv above the valve.

A further object is to Vprovide a quick detachable coupling means between the hand lever knob and the hand lever, thereby allowing the same to beY easily and quickly removed. Also to flatten the forward side of the knob.

With the above andother objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawings, describedand claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the faucet.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the faucet.`

Figure 3 is a .view similar to Figure 2, but showing the valve in raised position for allowing the removal 'or replacement of the valve unit and cap, forming a part thereof.

Figure 4. is an enlarged side elevation of the valve unit and cap, showing the valve spring in expanded position.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the valve, and a portion of the guide pin.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of another form of the device wherein the faucet is of the vertical type and a flow regulator is shown in connection therewith. Y l

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View Athrough the device shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the detachable connecting means between the operating lever and knob.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line Ill-,I0 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the faucet casing and 2 a chamber therein. In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the faucet is shown as angularly disposed, and reference is particularly In the lower end of the chamber 2 of the faucet casing is an annular shoulder 3, on which is disposed an annular yieldable member 4, which supports an annular valve seat 5, preferably bevelled `as shown, and with which Members 4 and 5 are held in position by means of a conventional form of split ring` "l, which expands against the wall of the chamber 2. Extending transversely through a boss 8, carried by the casing I, is a lever rotated shaft 9 having a handle lever I0 on one end thereof terminating in a hand grip lever I I. When it is desired to dispense fluid through the faucet, the lever I I is pulled forwardly in the direction of the arrow a to the position shown in Figure 3. Mounted on the rotatable shaft 9 within the boss 8 is a hub I2 of an inwardly and upwardly curved arm I3, which is adapted to be forced upwardly through the Valve seat opening I4 for engaging the under side of the spherical valve 6, and forcing the same to unseated raised position as shown in Figure 3. The spherical valve 6 is provided with an upwardly extending apertured member I5, having an aperture I6 therein, and into which aperture the guide pins I1, carried by the cap I8, extends. The cap I8 is threaded at I9 into the upper end of the valve casing I and holds the pin I1 in axial relation with the valve seat and ball valve, hence it will be seen that the ball valve will be axially guided. It will be noted there is a slight freedom of movement of the valve on the pin I1 to insure a positive seating of the valve incident to variations in manufacture and to wear of the valve seat, or compression of the yieldable member I4, hence the device will automatically adjust itself to the seat.

Surrounding the pins I1 is an expansion spring 2l), the upper end of which is anchored in an annular groove 2I in the cap, and the lower end receives therein the valve extension I5, and is anchored to the valve extension I5 by the lower convolutions 22 thereof being disposed in an annular channel 23 in the sleeve, therefore it will be seen that the cap I8, its pins I1, the expansion spring 26 and the ball valve 6 are permanently connected together to form a unit to be assembled as a whole in one operation in the valve casing. As the ends of the spring 20 are anchored to the cap I8, and to the ball valve 6, it is practically impossible to screw the cap I8 to place with the ball valve 6 in close binding engagement with the valve seat 5, as the ball binds against the same, and any turning of the cap I8 places a torsional action on the expansion spring 20. To obviate this difficulty the arcuate arm I5 is proportioned whereby when it is in raised position for an unseating operation, it will have a reduced engagement at 24 with the under side of the ball valve, preferably on the axis thereof, to form a pivotal point with the minimum amount of friction on which the valve unit as a whole may easily rotate, even when the expansion spring is compressed, thereby allowing the cap I8 to be easily screwed into the upper end of the valve casing. Heretofore the valve structures have been separable, and it has been found to be extremely difficult to assemble the parts in the valve chamber 2, particularly in an inclined casing as shown in Figures 1 to 3, as the ball has to be accurately positioned axially as well as the spring to be received in the channel 2|, therefore it will be seen that applicant, by forming the working parts as a unit, overcomes this diiculty, and the cap can be threaded into position without a twisting action on the coiled spring incident to the valve being held in open position by the curved valve lifting arm I3.

Referring to the form shown in Figures 6 and '1, in this form the faucet is on a vertical axis, however the working parts are the same as in Figure 2, and the same numerals apply thereto. Fluid enters the upper part of the chamber 2 through the intake pipe 25 in both forms and is discharged from the discharge port 26 at the lower end of the faucet body. In Figures 6 and l the intake pipe 25 terminates in a vertically disposed fluid regulator valve casing 26 having a relatively narrow elongated tapered bore 21, with which a relatively narrow elongated tapered valve 28 cooperates for allowing the passage of a vertical conical relatively narrow column of fluid in the direction of the arrow b to the intake pipe 25. It has been found, by forming the valve 28 relatively long and narrow, a slight taper may be used thereby reducing the distance of flow of the column parts as the fluid commingles into the upper end`29 around the valve stem 30, consequently reduces turbulence in the upper end of the chamber to a minimum. To further reduce the turbulence at this point, the upper end of the valve curves inwardly at 3| and merges into the stem without the formation of a shoulder, hence it will be seen that the foaming of the gaseous fluid, for instance beer, will be reduced to a minimum. Regulator valve stem 30 is threaded at 32 through the removable cap 33, threaded into the upper end of the valve casing 26, therefore it will be seen that all the parts may be removed from the casing 26 for repair, cleaning and replacement purposes. If desired the removable cap 3i! may be provided with a packing gland 34.

The knob II, on the operating lever IU, is detachably connected so it can be changed from time to time according to the desired indicia on the fiat forward face IIa thereof. It will be noted that this indicia will face the operator of the faucet when dispensing beer and the like. The knob I I is provided with a threaded member I Ib, which is threaded at llc into the lever I0 and threaded on the lever I0 at Ild is a flanged ferrule IIe. In applying the knob the bolt II is threaded into the lever with the flanged ferrule tightly threaded on the lever. After the flat side I Ic of the knob is in the proper position, the operator unscrews the flanged ferrule He, which jams against the knob and securely holds the Same in adjusted position.

The operating arm I3, carried by the shaft 9, is moved upwardly or downwardly by the shaft when it is rotated It will be noted that the shaft 9 is flat on opposite sides and is carried by a lug 35, preferably formed integral with the lever I0 and provided with a packing member 36. Threaded on the outer end of the flat shaft 9 is a sleeve screw 31 having a packing member 38. This screw holds the shaft 35 and 9 against axial displacement during the operation of the device. The limit of operation of the lever I 0 is controlled by means of an arcuate slot 39 in the inner face thereof and by a lug 46 carried by the side of the casing I.

From the above it will be seen that a faucet is provided which is simple in construction, the parts reduced to a minimum, and one constructed in a manner whereby the cap and valve parts are connected together and assembled as a unit.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

l. A faucet comprising a body having a chamber therein, a valve seat in said chamber with a port extending therethrough, a valve cooperating with said seat, a removable cap threaded into the body, an operating arm adapted to be moved through said port for unseating the valve, a telescopic connection between the valve and cap, an expansion spring surrounding said telescopic connection, one end of said expansion spring being anchored in a groove of the cap, a sleeve carried by the valve, a shaft carried by the cap and slidably mounted in the sleeve, the other end of the expansion spring being anchored in a groove of the sleeve, said expansion spring being interposed between the cap and valve, said cap, Valve and expansion spring forming a connected unit to be assembled within the chamber of the body when the cap is screwed into the body.

2. A faucet comprising a body having a chamber therein, a valve seat in said chamber provided with a port extending therethrough, an operating arm adapted to extend through said port for unseating a valve, a cap threaded into said body, a valve'wthin the chamber cooperating with the seat, a telescopic connection between the cap and valve, an expansion spring interposed between the cap and valve, the ends of said expansion spring being rigidly anchored to the cap and Valve to rotate therewith as a unit on the operating arm as a bearing when it is forced through the seat for unseating the valve and allowing the cap, valve and spring to rotate as a unit whereby a torsional action on the spring is prevented.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the operating arm, when forced through the valve seat', will form an axial pivotal bearing for the valve when the cap is being screwed into the body.

FREDERICK C. PICUT. 

